Aircraft developer Hermeus earlier this week broke ground for a hypersonic engine and flight test facility at Jacksonville (Florida) Cecil Airport (KVQQ). To become Hermeus’ largest and most technologically advanced site, the High Enthalpy Air-Breathing Test (HEAT) facility is anticipated to be the initial base for Hermeus’ high-Mach flight tests beginning in 2026.
Plans call to build the facility in stages, with it ready for initial sea-level static engine tests before year-end. Hermeus is investing $135 million in the project, which is expected to culminate in 100 jobs being created.
Hermeus celebrated the milestone during a ceremony at KVQQ with company executives and employees, who were joined by U.S. Reps. Aaron Bean (R-Florida) and John Rutherford (R-Florida); state senator Clay Yarborough R-Jacksonville); and other local dignitaries.
As the name implies, the HEAT facility will provide continuous high flow rate, high enthalpy, and low-pressure conditions required for upper supersonic and lower hypersonic flight modeling. This will enable Hermeus to test hypersonic technologies for both the Department of Defense and commercial partners.
Various engines and propulsion subsystems will be tested, from a Pratt & Whitney F100 engine to Hermeus’ hypersonic Chimera engine. Company executives also expect the location to serve as a flight test site.
“The United States is lacking in the capability to rapidly and economically test air-breathing hypersonic engines,” said Hermeus co-founder and CEO AJ Piplica. “The few test facilities available have years-long waitlists and are prohibitively expensive. The commercially operated testing services that we will offer at our HEAT facility are more economical and responsive to dynamic test requirements and are better suited to match the ever-changing needs of the warfighter.”
Hermeus plans to field Halcyon, a 20-passenger Mach 5 aircraft that is planned for commercial markets, in the next decade.